


To Slow a Hedgehog

by Im_Not_A_Robot



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Comics), Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Battle, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Behavior, Competition, Compromise, Friendship, Gen, Metonic Ship Week, No Romance, Problems, Travel, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 07:35:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20774903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Im_Not_A_Robot/pseuds/Im_Not_A_Robot
Summary: Sonic has been running too far too frequently for too many things and Tails is concerned about his friends health as a result. The two try to come up with a different means of transportation, conjuring the idea of flight using a jet just like Metal Sonic's. They coerce the robot to cooperate in the construction of the jet, but even with careful planning and skills, not all things go according to plan.For Metonic Ship Week 2019.Prompt: Travel----------------------------------------





	To Slow a Hedgehog

Tails peeked through the door of his workshop to his blue friend who was relaxing on a chair just outside on the grass. "Sonic, I'm gonna be out for a while, I need to go to the store in the next village over. Unfortunately it's the only one who has that tool I've been looking for and it turns out I need it sooner than I-"

"Hold that thought buddy, I gotcha!" Sonic hopped up and zoomed off in a blur.

Tails blinked. "..."

The hedgehog returned in mere moments with the very tool the fox needed in-hand. "Here ya go buddy!"

Tails lowered a brow with a hesitant smile as he reached for the tool. "Heh... thanks."

\----

"Hey Tails, remember that candy shop over by the coast-side town we once visited way back?" Sonic approached his pal holding two giant lollipops.

Tails, working on the Tornado, looked up to Sonic with the familiar candies. "Oh, yeah!" he smiled.

The hedgehog held out a red lollipop to his friend. "Gotcha the one you liked."

Tails chuckled. "Oh no, my favourite one was the pink one not the red."

"Oh... I got the wrong one." Sonic tilted his head at the candy.

"Don't worry, I-" Tails began.

"I'll be right back." Sonic stated.

"No wait, it's-" but Sonic already sped off. "-... fine..." Tails flattened his ears.

Only a moment passed before the hedgehog returned with the correct lollipop, handing it to his pal with a smile. Tails gave a concerned smile as he took the lollipop.

\----

"Hey Sonic?" Tails called out from behind a crate of electronic experiments.

"Yeah buddy?" Sonic peered from behind a stack of similar boxes.

"Do you know off the top of your head if that scrap yard over by the city accepts things like batteries?"

Sonic brought a finger to his chin in thought. "Hmm... I dunno, lemme go check." he was about to speed off again before...

"NO! Sonic STOP!" Tails managed to halt the hedgehog just as he was about to speed over to the city.

"What is it?" the blue blur lowered an ear in confusion.

The fox sighed. "Listen Sonic you can't keep rushing over in these bursts to such far places like this all the time, it can't be good for you."

The hedgehog tilted his head. "But I'm fine, really." he smiled. "You worry too much pal-"

"No look..." Tails interrupted him. "You need to take it easier on yourself Sonic, give yourself a break you know?"

Sonic straightened his posture and faced his orange friend, giving his full attention. "Take a break? But... I'm Sonic!" he chuckled as though the idea of not running places was just a hilarious joke.

The fox sighed again. "I'm just worried about you, you know? You're not going to be able to keep doing this if you burn yourself out so soon... we get old eventually you know?"

Sonic looked to the ground, not really wanting to concern himself about such things... he can't ever see himself not running all the time.

The fox stepped closer to Sonic. "Haven't you ever thought of just.. ya know... taking transportation once in a while?"

The blue hedgehog scoffed. "You want me to drive in a car? Seriously?"

"Well it would be easier on your legs. You don't have to do it all the time..." Tails didn't know how to get Sonic to understand his need for some restraint.

"Transportation is not my thing. It's cramped, you have to pay attention to too many things and it's just plain awful." Sonic crossed his arms, brows furrowing in obvious discontent.

Tails scratched at his head, pondering. "Well... what if there was some way I could build you something that would make transportation enjoyable? I just want you to give your legs a break for a bit and not strain yourself so much.... that's all."

The speedster lowered his ears, starting to consider his friends words. "... Alright... maybe you're right I guess... I kind of have been pushing myself a bit too much as of late. What do you propose?"

The mechanic shifted his gaze in thought. "Hmm.... let's brainstorm this in the workshop, see what we can come up with." he smiled to Sonic who nodded in agreement with a thumbs up.

The two headed inside and Tails grabbed for some schematic layouts and paper to write down ideas. They set themselves up at the table where Sonic took a seat on a stool next to his pal.

"Alright." Tails began, taking a pencil in hand. "It's gotta be something that doesn't make you run and doesn't involve too much impact on your knees."

Sonic scratched at his head. "Hmm... it's too bad I don't know telekinesis like Silver does... that would be both fun and easy on my legs."

Tails chuckled. "Yeah..." his ears perked up. "Hey, what about something like Shadow's rocket shoes? There's no impact and it'll be easier on your legs."

The hedgehog looked to the side in consideration. "Hmmm.... I... don't really think that's my thing, that's more Shadow's thing.... plus you know how bad I am at rollerblading and such. Too much learning to do just to use them."

Tails nodded. "Yeah, you're right I guess."

Sonic slapped his hands down on the table. "I know! What about something that makes me fly, like you!"

The fox looked behind him at his two tails that swayed in response. "... Well I can't give you tails like I do, that's more of a.... bioengineering thing..."

The blue hero laid his ears back before they perked up again. "Well, how about something like a jet?"

"That could work." Tails nodded.

"OH!" Sonic snapped his finger. "What about one like Metal Sonic's? Like a jet on my back, that would be awesome! You seen the speeds he can go with that thing, it's perfect!"

This is where Tails' smile fell and he looked a bit more concerned. "Uh... but that's like.... integrated into him.... That wouldn't balance out right on you and it would be bulky, not to mention too heavy for that kind of power... I also think it would hurt your back, heck it might not even work. There's a lot of factors you have to weigh in for something that'll make you fly Sonic."

But the hedgehog shook his head, still determined. "Nope, I am dead set on this one Tails. Come on I know you buddy, your skills are amazing! You gotta make this one happen!" he practically pleaded.

The fox lowered his ears and rubbed the back of his neck. "... I dunno... I could try I guess." Sonic pumped a fist at this. "I'm telling you though, it won't work." Tails repeated.

"Well, we won't know until we try. It'll really test your abilities too, I'll even help you build it!... With uh... your guidance of course. " the hedgehog scratched under his nose with a smile.

Tails got up from his stool about to grab his measuring tools to draw a concept before he paused. "Wait...." he turned to Sonic who looked at him expectantly. "I don't even know the details of Metal's jet..."

The blue blur twitched an ear. "Isss... that going to be a problem?" he questioned.

"Well yeah, I don't know the measurements or what it's even made out of... how am I supposed to even start?" the fox pondered.

Sonic hopped off of his tool. "Well... what if I were to bring Metal here?"

Tails narrowed his eyes at his friend. "Uh... THAT might be a problem."

"Pfft." Sonic waved a hand. "I know how he is. I might be able to get him to cooperate with us if I play my words right. I'll come up with something."

"Sonic he's going to try and kill you, this isn't-"

"Hey, don't even worry about it man. And trust me, I'll deal with this. Maybe if I tell him it's for some kind of... challenge.... yeah I'll tell him I want to challenge him to a..... umm.... an... That's it!" Sonic stood proudly at his idea. "I'll challenge him to an aerial battle! But I'll tell him in order to do it I need you to build me a jet with his own schematics to do so. It's perfect!"

Tails took a deep breath before releasing it in relent. "Alright..... bring him here to me if you can... but please Sonic... make sure he's not hostile when he arrives. I don't want him to destroy my workshop."

Sonic winked with a thumbs up. "Don't even worry about it pal, I'll have it covered." he made his way out of the workshop before taking a breath of the fresh air and then speeding off towards Eggman's base.

  
  


=========--------------------------------- EGGMAN'S BASE --------------------------------- =========

  
  


The base was fairly silent save for the whirring and beeps of a couple of robots preforming maintenance as per their daily programming. One of the rooms had electronic pieces scattered all about the floor, a large moustached man busy at a work table with tools at the ready.

Eggman was working on repairing one of his cleaner bots that began to malfunction and do the exact opposite of it's duties... instead of cleaning, it started making a mess of things, spilling water everywhere and throwing dust and garbage all of the floor. It was a hell of a battle just to hold it down and deactivate it, the man still had a bump visible on his head from when the bot started beating him with the broom.

Metal Sonic was present in the room, observing silently after he had to be the one to apprehend the cleaner bot and drag it in here. Both of them were startled by the sound of the base's security alarm suddenly sounding off.

"What the heck!?" Eggman quickly pulled down a monitor from the wall to see what was going on.

On the screen through his security cameras was none other than the one hedgehog he despised of all, trashing his maintenance robots in the lower quarters. "WHAT!? WHY IS HE HERE!?" the man fumed, veins popping from his head in an instant.

He threw down his tools in a rage. "I haven't even done a single thing this whole WEEK! I've just been cooped up in my base, WHY is he here just breaking my robots!?" he whirled around and pointed aggressively. "METAL, GO DEAL WITH THIS. NOW!" he shouted.

Metal clenched his fists with a nod and blasted off out of the room. He weaved through the base tracing down their intruder before he finally got to Sonic.

Said intruder turned to look at the robot with a smirk. "Was wondering when you'd finally show up, thought you were supposed to be fast." he stuck his tongue out.

Metal shuddered with anger. "**How dare you intrude upon my master's turf. No matter, I will destroy you this time inferior copy!**"

Sonic faked a yawn. "Yeah, yeah and then some right?" he smiled smugly, agitating the robot further before he sped off out of the base. Metal blasted off after him, leaving a trail of jet fire in his wake.

"**For too long you have been an irritating pain in my side, I will ensure my victory this time!**" the mech caught up to race beside the hedgehog, his glaring eyes keeping watch on his counterpart as they raced further away from the base into the woods.

"Oh come on, we both know you can't feel pain, you're just being dramatic." Sonic was leading the robot in the direction of Tails' workshop, zigzagging and detouring to buy time.

"But tell me anyways... do you feel THIS?" he yelled over the wind as he suddenly kicked Metal off course, the robot grunting as he veered away from the impact and crashed straight into a tree, tumbling a ways over the grass.

Sonic winced at this as he turned around to head back to the robot, thinking that he probably shouldn't damage him too much since he needs that jet to stay intact for Tails to examine. The robot was picking himself back up, a clawed hand to his head as he tried to reconfigure his optics after the strike to his head.

Sonic stopped in front of him, the robot noticing this and immediately slashing his claws towards the hedgehog. "Whoa there!" Sonic managed to dodge it, then dodge another.

Metal lunged at him to which Sonic jumped to the side in time, then spin dashed into the robot to knock him to the ground again.

"**Ghur!**" Metal noised frustratedly.

Sonic stopped in front of the fallen robot to stare down at him. "Look, I lured you out here for a reason."

Metal rubbed at his head as he looked up to his counterpart questioningly from his spot on the grass.

"I need you to come with me to my friend Tails' workshop. We need the schematics of your jet and I want you to cooperate with us... you know... the come quietly kind of thing?" Sonic crossed his arms, his face and voice of a more serious tone.

Metal stared at him more, his eyes shifting up and down the hedgehog in assessment.

"**Forget it, weakling. I would never do you any favours.**" the robot stood to his feet, glaring down his counterpart with an incline of his head.

Sonic turned away, daring to face his back to his nemesis with a shrug of his shoulders. "Well fine then... I wanted to challenge you to something but I guess you're not up to it if that's the case."

Metal's eyes shifted as he tilted his head. "**... Challenge?**" his attention was captured and Sonic smirked at this before turning back around to face his copy.

"Yeah. I wanted to challenge you to an aerial battle, but I need a jet like yours to do so. We can't build it without your schematics though." the hedgehog knows just how obsessed his robotic copy is about proving superiority, he wouldn't turn down any challenge.

"**HAHAHA!**" Metal's electronic laugh was a bit unnerving to the speedster. "**An aerial battle? With me?**" he crossed his arms. **"I could defeat you with my claws tied behind my back.**"

Sonic smirked. "Well then what are you so afraid of?"

The robot tilted his head, his glowing red eyes casting down to the ground in further consideration. He seemed to hum in thought before looking back to Sonic. "**Fine... I will cooperate with your vulpine friend in the making of this jet. Lead me to your headquarters you pathetic phony.**"

Sonic tried not to let his eye twitch at Metal's superiority complex and ego, clearly noticable in his words. "Right... come with me; and remember... don't destroy anything."

The two sped off towards Tails' workshop, the fox waiting anxiously outside seated upon a stack of wooden planks. His ears perked up when he saw the two approaching, his face full of disbelief.

"I... I can't believe you actually managed it." Tails said in referring to Sonic being able to bring Metal here peacefully.

The robot crossed his arms as Sonic glanced at him, then back to his two-tailed friend. "Yeah well, he's confident he can beat me in an aerial battle, but I plan on proving him wrong." he winked to Tails indicating that his lie of an aerial challenge worked.

Tails picked up on it and nodded, knowing to follow along. "Right, aerial battle. Well, uh... Metal... come on inside and I'll... take a look at you." Tails smiled nervously.

"**Hmph...**" the mech made his way inside of the workship, his eyes peering over the stacks of tools and materials as well as a couple of stray computers. "**This is so pathetic in comparison to my master's base. You call this a workshop?**"

Sonic followed in after Tails who was already trying to refrain from defending himself. "Yeah.. heh..." the fox chuckled with restraint. "Can you seat yourself on that table there while I scan you?"

Metal looked to the canid before making his way over to the work table and seating himself upon it. Tails disappeared to a back room, returning with a device in hand. "Alright, this an old invention of mine but it still works great." he walked over to Metal who eyed him threateningly. "This detects the molecular construct of any item it scans and sends back a material, chemical and structural analysis and gives me a rough basic layout."

Sonic whistled at this. "Don't think I've seen you use this baby before. Will it work on Metal though?"

Tails nodded as he began to move the device over Metal, scanning him. "Of course, it works on basically everything. I'm pretty sure if I had a mountain sized one it could scan a hurricane and give me every detail of what's caught in it and how it formed."

Metal actually refrained from a snarky comment as he actually doesn't know of anything his master has made that could compare with something of that scale, but he wasn't about to admit that. He allowed the fox to circle around him several times, being scanned by the handheld device.

Tails eventually stepped away and moved over to his computer where he plugged the device into a usb port and began typing away.

Sonic and Metal stared eachother down, Sonic narrowing his eyes as if telling the robot to not even _think_ of trying anything funny. "There we go!" Tails began excitedly. "Alright, I got the details down... now to figure out how to put it on you Sonic..."

Sonic put his hands on his hips. "I'm guessing that's going to be the hard part?"

The fox lowered his ears. "Unfortunately yeah... this is going be extremely difficult if it's even possible at all without issues. But let's start with some measurements on you Sonic."

Metal observed indifferently as Tails took a measuring tape and began to gather information on Sonic's proportions. It was hours of the Tails doing this back and forth and drawing some kind of concept as well as working on constructing the actual jet itself. He built it to slip onto Sonic like a backpack of sorts with straps.

After many power tests and Metal starting to feel weighed down by the effects of boredom, Tails seemed to have finalized a prototype.

"Alright... I think with this last tweak, this should do it." the fox grabbed some more tools, tightening a few more bolts before he turned around with the device in hand, holding it up for the two to see. "Voila!" he smiled in accomplishment.

"Alright!" Sonic raised a fist enthusiastically. "Let's do this!"

Metal hopped off the table, his boredom disappearing an instant over the hype of an aerial fight with his rival. "**Yes! Our battle is at hand!**"

Sonic lowered his ears for a moment, almost ompletely forgetting that he told Metal this was all for a challenge... he had to keep to his word now though and fight the robot. "Right... yeah..." he stated. At least it should be a way to test it out and hopefully it won't break or anything.

Tails helped him slip on the jet, the hedgehog wincing at how uncomfortable it was. "Man it's... really pressing into my spine."

Tails laid his ears back. "Yeah, sorry... I told you it was difficult but this was the only way I could cram everything into it and not make it unbelievably bulky and awkward."

Sonic shrugged. "Oh well, let's give her a spin!" he rushed out the workshop doors, Metal following closely behind along with Tails.

Metal and Sonic stood off from eachother, both at the ready. Tails' expression betrayed just how nervous he really was about this.

"Alright! Let's do this. Fingers crossed." Sonic stated excitedly. Metal got into a battle-ready pose.

Sonic pushed a button on his shoulder strap, the jet reving as it powered up slowly. "Alright... alright.. so far so good."

Slowly the hedgehog began to lift up from the ground, his eyes widening at the feeling of the earth leaving his feet and gravity disappearing. "Whoa, okay... this is.. uh..." Tails was sweating profusely in anticipation. Metal also slowly began to lift himself off the ground, awaiting for Sonic to get the hang of the thing before they started their real fight.

As Sonic rose higher from the ground his confidence returned to him and he held out a fist to Metal. "Alright Metal! Let's do thi-" the jet suddenly sputtered and coughed out smoke, Sonic and Tails both suddenly freeze with looks of horror.

Sonic looked to the fox. "Uh... it's... supposed to do that right?"

Tails, still with a terrified expression slowly shook his head. Sonic suddenly jerked. "Uh, Tails it's getting really hot all of sudden!"

The fox panicked. "Sonic take it off of you quick!"

"AH!" the hedgehog cried out as it began to burn his back, he quickly slipped it off of him in a panic dropping to the ground. He chucked it far away from him, where the jet subsequentially exploded upon impact on the ground, a ball of fire rising up to the air.

Metal lowered to land on the ground, while a panicked Sonic and Tails looked on at the remains of the broken and scorched jet on the patch of dirt it created after burning away the grass.

Sonic, after catching his breath from the adrenaline, lowered his ears, casting down his gaze in a saddened look over the fact that his idea didn't work out. Tails walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "I did warn you that it likely wouldn't work." the fox reassured.

"Yeah I guess so... oh well...." Sonic shrugged sorrowfully.

"**HAHAHAHA**" Metal's laugh drew their attention as they turned to the robot who held his hands on his hips. "**You couldn't even lift yourself off of the ground, this was no challenge at all. Though I am disappointed that I could not truly test such aerial capabilities of yours, I reign victorious here and have very clearly proven my superiority.**"

Sonic looked to Tails who shrugged at him, the speedster then turning his attention back to the robot. "I mean, I didn't _really_ want to challenge you in some sort of aerial fight..."

Metal dropped his arms to his side, his head shifting slightly in confusion. "**You... didn't?**"

Sonic shook his head with a shrug. "No, I only said that to get you to cooperate with building a jet for transportation. I wanted to be able to fly around instead of run around."

Tails chimed in "Yeah, we just wanted something that would give Sonic's legs a break from running all the time, to make it easier on him."

Metal seemed to be processing this, realizing that he was tricked... but their situation and idea of a solution to him didn't make any sense at all. He tilted his head at them.

"**...** **Why don't you just walk?**"

...

Sonic and Tails looked to each other... both suddenly face palm at their own absolute stupidity.

Why didn't they even THINK of that!?


End file.
